Domestic Banter
by Erin Giles
Summary: “I don’t think even I can domesticate Jack.” Shameless sick!Ianto, Jack/Ianto fluff.


TITLE: Domestic Banter

AUTHOR: Erin Giles

RATING: G

DISCLAIMER: I do not own them, that is the BBC and RTD's privilege.

PAIRING/CHARACTER: Jack/Ianto, Owen, Gwen

SUMMARY: "I don't think even I can domesticate Jack." Shameless sick!Ianto, Jack/Ianto fluff.

* * *

"Morning Jack." Gwen called as the cog door rolled back, "How's Ianto?"

"Still alive," came the somewhat subdued reply from the Welshman who was trailing behind Jack like a lost puppy. His suit was absent and he looked like he would me much better off in bed.

"Jack we said an extra pair of hands, you didn't need to drag tea-boy from his deathbed." Owen snapped as he emerged from the autopsy room.

Ianto was hauling himself up the stairs by the handrail now, face pale and sweaty. "Thanks for your concern Owen."

"What did you want me to do?" Jack was going back down the stairs towards Ianto, half dragging him towards the sofa behind Owen and Tosh's stations.

"Well you could have left me in bed where I was quite happily dying in peace." Ianto griped as he settled back into the couch, closing his eyes and waiting for the world to stop spinning.

Jack wasn't listening though, he was disappearing into his office as Ianto pulled the hood up on his hoodie and tried to bury himself in it.

"Ianto love, do you want a cup of tea?" Gwen inquired as she bent over him, back of her hand going to his forehead, mothering him.

Ianto managed a mumble of approval as Jack re-emerged from his office, half of his bedding bundled up in his arms. He chucked the pillows and blanket at Ianto, one of the pillows hitting Ianto full in the face.

"There you go, you can go back to dying loudly now." Jack shot at Ianto.

"Jack!" Gwen protested as Ianto attempted to dig himself out from under the covers. Jack ignored her as he wandered over to Tosh's station to see what all the fuss was about.

Owen and Gwen shared a look that said maybe Jack and Ianto should be kept away from each other for a while.

* * *

Jack had been pissy all day and Ianto had done nothing to ease the situation, making snide remarks about not having to put up with snoring anymore or the brown water Jack tried to pass off as coffee.

Yet as Gwen re-emerged from the tourist office, it was plain that all hostility had gone between the two.

Jack was settled comfortably on the couch, feet up on the coffee table, Ianto's head in his lap. Jack's hand was curled in Ianto's hair as the younger man slept fitfully while his other hand rubbed at Ianto's belly in slow soothing circles. Ianto seemed oblivious as he breathed through his mouth and was quite probably drooling all over Jack's pillow. Jack didn't seem to mind though. He was watching Ianto intently, a look on his face that Gwen had never seen before. It wasn't lust, it wasn't even love; it was something more than care or concern and Gwen suddenly felt like she was intruding as a smile twitched onto Jack's face.

"Jack?" Gwen tread quietly up the stairs as Jack looked up at her, no sign of embarrassment at being caught in such an intimate situation.

"I'm going to head home now," she almost whispered, "Anything I can get you two before I go?"

"A cup of coffee would be great. I would get it myself, but –" Jack gestured down at the prone form of Ianto in his lap.

"All you had to do was ask." Came the muffled reply from Jack's lap as Ianto's eyes blinked open.

"I thought you were asleep."

Ianto yawned, "Slept too much."

"And you look the picture of health for it." Jack replied sarcastically.

Before Gwen had a chance to re-affirm her presence, Ianto had whipped out the pillow from beneath his head and proceeded to beat Jack about the head with it. His assault didn't last long before the effort became too much and Jack's laughter became too infectious. Ianto's laughing soon descended into a coughing fit and Jack had to pat him on the back to stop him from choking on his own tongue.

"Can we go home now?" Ianto's voice was childlike as he caught his breath, staring up at Jack with blue eyes like saucers.

"No coffee then?" Gwen enquired, trying to draw attention to herself again without further embarrassment on her part.

"No I think it's home time and camomile tea for this one." Jack replied as he placed a kiss on Ianto's forehead before drawing himself to his feet.

"You watch him while I finish off a few things?" Jack's eyes turned on Gwen who just smiled and nodded.

Ianto protested. "I don't need babysitting."

"Try that one next time I leave you to have a shower." Jack retorted. Gwen watched as Ianto went bright red before sinking back into the couch, looking like he wished the couch would swallow him whole.

"Do I want to know?" Gwen teased, taking a seat beside Ianto on the couch as Jack retreated into his office. Ianto shook his head in reply, pulling Jack's blanket up round him.

"You sure you're alright to go back with him?" Gwen asked, concerned for Ianto. He twisted to look at her, a confused look on his face.

"He's not going to beat me up Gwen if that's what you're thinking," Ianto teased, "He's just fed up with looking after me, he's not used to it, not that I asked him to do it, and I'm just tired and fed up of being ill." Ianto closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch, "People fight you know, unless Rhys is some kind of Stepford husband?" Ianto looked at Gwen through slatted eyes. Gwen laughed, shaking her head slightly.

"No, we argue, over stupid things like me not picking my hair out the sink drain or him leaving the toilet seat up."

"I yelled at Jack for the exact same thing the other day, on both counts actually."

Gwen laughed again, "You ought to watch out, you're getting quite domesticated you two."

Ianto just smiled back at her contentedly, before he sneezed, ruining the effect.

"I don't think even I can domesticate Jack." Ianto's eyes were closed again, sniffing pathetically into Jack's blanket. Gwen watched Ianto falling asleep for a long moment before she realised Jack was doing the same thing from the door of his office. Jack jerked into action when he realised Gwen was watching him.

"Come on Mr. Jones," Jack said, pulling Ianto to his feet and holding him close, "Let's get you home before you start giving the weevils the lurgy." Jack teased. Ianto seemed too tired to respond now, eliciting a yawn before mechanically putting one foot in front of the other.

"You need a lift Gwen?" Jack asked as he moved down the stairs, a hand guiding Ianto.

"No, you're alright, I'll just close up here." Gwen replied, watching as Ianto and Jack disappeared into the lift, Ianto nodding and smiling at something Jack said.

She folded up Jack's blanket and placed it neatly on top of the pillows at the end of the couch, her eye catching the CCTV that was up on Tosh's workstation. She watched as Jack and Ianto lazily made there way across the Plass to Ianto's car. Ianto's feet were dragging now and she let out a laugh as Jack lifted Ianto and threw him over his shoulder, much to the shock of passers by while Ianto beat pathetically at Jack's back before giving in and letting himself be carried. Gwen didn't miss the contented smile on each of their faces though, nor could she stop herself from smiling too.


End file.
